Published: 13:02, April 24, 2024 | Updated: 13:08, April 24, 2024
Venezuela's Maduro says he is open to receiving UN rights envoy
By Reuters
This handout picture released by the Venezuelan Presidency shows Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (right) and International Criminal Court (ICC) top prosecutor Karim Khan during a television program at Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas on April 23, 2024. (PHOTO / AFP)

CARACAS - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said on Tuesday he is willing to receive an envoy from the United Nations' human rights office, after his government asked staff to leave the South American country earlier this year.

"I received the proposal to again open the Office for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk in Venezuela, and I agree we should overcome our differences," Maduro said on state television from the presidential police.

Maduro spoke alongside the International Criminal Court's top prosecutor Karim Khan, who was on a visit to Caracas.

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Venezuela's government had in mid-February asked staff from the UN human rights body to leave the country, saying it would over the course of a month revise the technical terms of cooperation

"I am ready to receive Volker Turk's envoy soon," he said, adding his envoy was welcome to come to "discuss the differences we have, the conflict that arose, so we may overcome it".

Venezuela's government had in mid-February asked staff from the UN human rights body to leave the country, saying it would over the course of a month revise the technical terms of cooperation.

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The government had criticized the UN's "colonialist, abusive and violating attitude", after a special rapporteur said a government food program did not tackle root causes of hunger.